While most of us are still recovering from our post election hangover, “barkeep, keep ‘em coming I’m not sure I’m ready to believe it”, there has been some strange goings on around City Hall in downtown Houston. Rumors and whispers are rampant concerning former City Attorney Ben Hall and his run for Mayor in 2013. Notice I did not say “challenging Incumbent Mayor Annise Parker”, because like most interesting rumors, this one is full of plot twists and turns.

If rumors are to be believed, Annise Parker will be offered a job in the next Obama Administration. No confirmation of what the job might be, maybe HUD director?  Or perhaps as some suggest, President Obama will appoint the first elected Lesbian Mayor of a major American city to a potentially newly created “Gay Czar/Czarina”.

Take note; DC insiders have been puzzled about this rumor because our Mayor and our President don’t exactly get along. So why would Obama offer this easy way out to Annise?  She’s taken some real hits politically since her election, Red Light Cameras, the Feeding Ordinance both organized by the Kubosh brothers. 

The city also faces some severe financial issues and the next few years will not be fun for any elected official in the City of Houston. But then Ben Hall and Barack Obama are buddies and once again the rumor mills suggest Obama would offer an administration job to Annise, to help his friend Ben, and curry favor with the Gay right lobby.   Annise gets a graceful way out of facing an angry electorate and possible defeat, and Ben Hall gets an easier path to City Hall because he would not have to face a well funded incumbent. So if there were — which is most likely— a special election in May, making it tougher for any other challengers to organize a campaign.

Now, you may be asking yourself why I, a Conservative should bother myself with a bunch of Democrats playing footsie under the table. Well for one, it is our city and whether you’re a resident of Houston or not, what happens in Houston will affect the county. Especially if the City goes bankrupt as many believe could very well happen.

But also because the Republican voters in Houston can affect the outcome of this race as they did when Annise beat Gene Locke. But equally important, because there are several potential Conservative candidates that might be able to attract Independent voters who are concerned about the pending financial cliff the city faces. Michael Kubosh has been rumored to be considering a run for Mayor. Another potential candidate is Jim Noteware, a local business leader who has extensive experience in solving some of the problems at City Hall.

Don’t forget, we have Jack O’Conner who mounted a spirited race last time and also a few of the usual suspects: Roy Morales and Bill King, who, at a minimum offer an alternative to Ben Hall or Annise Parker. Between them, I doubt there is much philosophical difference. More of the same leaves us with more of the same problems and less of our tax dollars.

One other curious aspect to all this, the rumor has gained significant traction in the past two months, and some Conservative leaders in Harris County have been approached by the Hall campaign. Meanwhile our Republican County Chairman, fresh off a miraculous general election effort, has a habit of playing it close to the vest. Why has he not called one of the potential Republican candidates about the possibility of a May Special election?

Instead, he allows this time for Ben Hall to make his pitch to Republican opinion makers?

What’s going on at City Hall, and what’s going on at Richmond HQ?